Beggars crackdown in Hull's Avenues sees 'persistent problem' tackled
BEGGARS in the Avenues have been reduced since an initiative urging traders to report problems was launched.
The police recently circulated a list of prolific beggars to shops and businesses in the Princes Avenue and Chanterlands Avenue area.
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Campaign: Police circulated a leaflet warning traders of four prolific beggars
PC Simon Cherry, based in Pearson Park, said: "There's no persistent problems at the moment, which we did have.
"That letter seems to have done the trick."
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One of the known beggars on the list, Christopher Winn, was given an Asbo in December.
Adrian Friedli, chairman of the Princes Avenue Community and Traders Association, said: "I know that, in the recent past, it has been an intermittent problem.
"I've not had any other traders approach me about it, so it has improved."
Vicky Reynolds, manager of The Olive Tree, said: "I've noticed a decrease, I haven't seen anyone recently."
Although the overall number has reduced, the police are remaining vigilant.
A beggar had to be moved on by police last Saturday from outside Sainsbury's in Princes Avenue.
The shop has a cash machine outside and has had previous problems with beggars loitering.
A Sainsbury's spokesman said: "From time to time, there are people outside the store who ask for money but we haven't seen an increase in this."
Sergeant Adrian Marsden, also based at Pearson Park, said: "Beggars are chancing their arm to see whether they'll get moved along.
"They may see it that the area isn't policed as well as the city centre but they're wrong."
Sgt Marsden said that there has been a law banning begging since the 1800s.
He said: "There's an attitude that if they're not asking for money, they're not begging.
"But if they're sitting there looking forlorn with a blanket across their lap, that still constitutes begging."
The letter with the list of names instructed business owners who receive complaints from customers to record their contact details and pass them on to the police.
There needs to be complaints logged from more than two separate occasions to give a beggar an Asbo.
Sgt Marsden said: "We want to keep a lid on."
He said that although it will never stop completely, he is committed to making it a safe place for shopping and for the local residents.
Anyone wishing to report a beggar should call Humberside Police on 101.
Comments
by NikkiD22
Friday, February 08 2013, 10:11AM
“Anyone seen Tony Larvin out begging yet? Might take him a while to scrape together 15 million!!!”
by stantheman
Friday, January 11 2013, 9:47PM
“Beggars belief this one, £100 per day, that's £600 per week is it ?
Bigger problem IMO are the drunks in Pearson Park.
I would have thought we had enough drunks of our own without importing gangs of them from other countries.”
by funky15
Friday, January 11 2013, 3:09AM
“this is a joke, prinny ave i live round the corner, i dont see no police, i get asked for money, , do the courts think to tell the bad boy/girl u are not allowed to beg on prinny ave that they wont beg again, tell u what judge, give them ur address and see if u like em outside ur house !.”
by dontwo
Thursday, January 10 2013, 7:42PM
“Its just a way of hiding the problem this moving on game. The Brazilian authorities {unofficially of course} went a tad further than ASBOS with their beggars. They had death squads to wipe them out.”
by Ren_Tiger
Thursday, January 10 2013, 4:34PM
“"But if they're sitting there looking forlorn with a blanket across their lap, that still constitutes begging."
What would you prefer them to do, skip up and down the street singing a happy song?”
by Ren_Tiger
Thursday, January 10 2013, 4:34PM
“"But if they're sitting there looking forlorn with a blanket across their lap, that still constitutes begging."
What would you prefer them to do, skip up and down the street singing a happy song?”
by twotoneboy
Thursday, January 10 2013, 3:30PM
“Can I just add, there is more that 1 Christopher Winn in Hull, just incase any of my mates are reading this!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
by currensy
Thursday, January 10 2013, 1:39PM
“Have you seen these lil beggars lmao.”
by BlokeinHull
Thursday, January 10 2013, 1:30PM
“I think this just moves them about. Christopher Winn now hangs around Newland Avenues Tesco rather than Chanterlands Avenue Sainsburys”
by WauldbyScrogs
Thursday, January 10 2013, 10:57AM
“"Beggars in the Avenues have been reduced ..." I'll look out for these smaller beggars.”